Collapsible hermetic sealing joint for garments

ABSTRACT

A sealing joint for garments including a glove having a tapered gauntlet which is stiffened against circumferential collapse and which may be received in an opening in a sleeve of lesser diameter than that of the gauntlet. The stiffener is adapted to be selectively collapsed to permit easy removal of the glove from the sleeve without necessarily taking off the garment.

United States Patent [19'] Hoagland [451 Jul 24,1973

22 Filed:

[ COLLAPSIBLE HERMETIC SEALING JOINT FOR GARMENTS [75] inventor: Earl J. Holgllnd, Barrington, ll].

[73] Assignee: Standard Safety Equipment Co.,

Palatine, 111.

Aug. 31, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 176,656

[52] US. Cl. 2/270, 2/161 R [51] Int. Cl A4ld 27/10 [58] Field of Search .Q 2/270, 161 R, 162,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,663 10/1953 Hoagland 2/170 X 2,813,272 11/1957 Hagan 2/170 UX 3,000,014 9/1961 White 2/270 3,009,164 ll/l961 Frey 2/270 3,218,652 1l/l965 Madnick et al 2/270 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Axel A. Hofgren et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A sealing joint for garments including a glove having a tapered gauntlet which is stiffened against circumferential collapse and which may be received in an opening in a sleeve of lesser diameter than that of the gauntlet. The stiffener is adapted to be selectively collapsed to permit easy removal of the glove from the sleeve without necessarily taking off the garment.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COLLAPSIBLE HERMETIC SEALING JOINT FOR GARMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to protective garments which may be worn when working with or handling corrosive chemicals, gases, impure liquids as dirty water, or the like.

In the commonly assigned U. S. Pat. No. 2,655,663 to Hoagland, there is disclosed a detachable hermetic sealing joint for garments'wherein a glove having a tapered gauntlet is stiffened by a frusto-conical insert and thrust through anopeningin the sleeve of lesser diame-' ter than the gauntlet for thepurpose of obtaining a tight seal between the sleeve and the glove gauntlet. While the Hoagland construction has been very successful for its intended purpose, one disadvantage is attendant the use of the same. Specifically, the glove cannot easily and rapidly be removed apart from the garment when damaged or when a device cannot easily be manipulated by a gloved hand. Thus, there is a need for a joint in a garment of the type described by Hoagland wherein the same provides the requisite sealing between the glove and the sleeve but which also permits easy removal of a glove from the sleeve and which may be accomplished readily with gloved hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved, detachable, hermetically sealed joint between a sleeve member and aglove and which may be disassembled with a gloved hand without first removing the garment.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing object by means of a construction including a glove having a tapered gauntlet which is stiffened and is adapted to be received in a sleeve having an opening of lesser diameter than a gauntlet. A stiffener for the gauntlet is selectively collapsible so that in normal use, the same will be in an assembled or non-collapsed state to provide the required seal be tween the gauntlet and the sleeve but which can be, at the will of the wearer, easily collapsed so that the glove can be pulled through the sleeve opening. According to the preferred embodiment, the stiffener is in the form of a frusto-conical, hollow insert member having some resilience and having a cut extending from one base to the other. Means are provided on the assemblage for normally holding the edges of the cut in substantial abutment to maintain the stiffener insert in a noncollapsed state. The holding means are so configured so that with the other hand of the wearer, the insert may be collapsed to permit removal of the glove from the sleeve.

According to one embodiment, opposite ends of the cut are provided with channel-like extensions which extend over and receive the oppositeside of the cut and two such elements are provided, one at each end of the cut. As a result, by manipulating the insert so that the sides of the cut move relative to each other and out of engagement with the respective channel-like element, the insert may be partially coiled about itself to a lesser diameter whereby the glove maybe pulled free from the sleeve. Alternately, the arrangement provides a snap-release by the application of pressure at the cut whereupon the sides of the cut snap free from the channel-like extensions in which they are received and again, the insert may be partially coiled about itself until its diameter is reduced sufficiently to permit easy removal of the glove from the sleeve.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from.the folowing specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a joint made according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the joint;

FIG. 3'is a section taken approximately along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stiffening insert employed in the joint; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken approximately along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment illustrated, a conventional rubber glove 10 is provided with an outwardly flared gauntlet portion 12 into which a stiffening insert 14 may be inserted. Preferably the insert 14 is tapered like the gauntlet portion of the glove and may be'made of a relatively stiff but resilient plastic. A garment sleeve 16 is preferably made of a flexible fabric having a chemically resistant coating. An end of the sleeve 16 terminates in an opening 18 having a lesser diameter than that of the gauntlet 12 of the glove 10.

The stiffening insert 14 is a strip of material having opposite ends20 and 22 which are brought into abutment as illustrated in FIG. 4 such that a frusto-conical shape results. Stated another 'way, the ends 20 and 22 of the strip comprising the insert 14 when brought together define a cut extending across the length of the insert.

Means 24 are provided on each of the ends 20 and 22 for normally holding the ends 20 and 22 in a predetermined relation with respect to each other to prevent collapse of the insert 14. In the embodiment illustrated, the predetermined relation is one of virtual abutment.

The means 24 are actually in the form of channel-like extensions of their respective ends for receiving a portion of the opposite end. In the preferred embodiment, theuppermost extension is secured to the insert 14 at the end 20 while the lowermost extension is secured to the end 22.

In using a garment made according to the invention, the glove is put on first with the insert 14 received in the gauntlet. Then the gloved hands are thrust through the sleeves and the sleeves are pulled up over the gauntlet until the sleeve fits snugly around the gauntlet portion of the glove which is reinforced by the insert. To remove the glove, it is only necessary to displace the ends 20 and 22 from each other in the direction of arrows 26 (FIG. 4) and partially coil the insert 14 about itself as illustrated in FIG. 3 whereupon the glove 10 may be easily pulled from the sleeve 16. Alternately,

The channel-like extensions serving as a means 24 for normally holding the insert 14 in a non-collapsed state may be formed integrally with the insert 14 or, in the alternative, may be formed as separate elements and secured to the insert 14 in any suitably way. For example, if the insert 14 is formed of a plastic, the channellike extensions can similarly be formed of plastic and solvent, tack welded or adhesively secured to the insert 14.

While the preferred embodiment has been described with reference to a glove, it is to be understood that the same may be advantageously employed with a boot as well.

I claim:

1. In a garment including a glove having a smoothly rounded, tapered gauntlet and a garment sleeve provided at its lower end with an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet of said glove and means stiffening said gauntlet against circumferential collapse including a hollow, open ended stiff insert whereby said sleeve may be tensioned about said gauntlet in a continuous face-to-face telescoping relation so as to make a detachable hermetically sealed joint with said gauntlet, the improvement comprising a weakened portion in said insert so that said stiffening means can be selectively collapsed at said weakened portion whereby when said stiffening means is not collapsed, a hermetic seal results between the sleeve to the glove and whereby when said stiffening means is collapsed, the glove may be easily removed from the sleeve.

2. [n a garment including a glove having a smoothly rounded, tapered gauntlet and a garment sleeve provided at its lower end with an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet of said glove and means stiffening said gauntlet against circumferential collapse whereby said sleeve may be tensioned abut said gauntlet in a continuous face-to-face telescoping relation so as to make a detachable hermetically sealed joint with said gauntlet, the improvement wherein said stiffening means is selectively collapsible whereby when said stiffening means is not collapsed, a hermetic seal results between the sleeve to the glove and whereby when said stiffening means is collapsed, the glove may be easily removed from the sleeve, said stiffening means comprising a hollow, frusto-conical insert provided with a cut extending from one base to the other and means for selectively holding opposite sides of said cut in substantial abutment with each other.

3. For use in a garment including an extremity covering member having a tapered gauntlet for receipt in a garment sleeve having an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet, a stiffening means for the gauntlet for establishing a hermetically sealed joint between said gauntlet and said sleeve, said insert comprising: a frusto-conical member formed of a generally stiff material and having a cut extending from one end to the other, and means for normally holding the sides of said cut in a fixed relation with respect to each other whereby said insert cannot be collapsed and operable to release the sides of said out from said fixed relation so that said insert may be collapsed to permit easy remo al of a glove from a sleeve with which said insert may be used.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said holding means comprise a pair of elements on opposite ends of said cut for detachably receiving one side of said cut, each said element being secured to the insert at the side of the cut opposite said one side.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein each of said elements comprises a channel-shaped member.

6. A stiffening insert for use in establishing a seal between a garment sleeve and a glove, said insert comprising: a strip of relatively stiff, but resilient material forming a frusto-concial shape with opposite ends of said strip being in substantial abutment, at least one end of said strip including a channel-like extension adapted to receive the opposite end of the strip to normally prevent collapse of the strip, said strip being collapsible by displacing the opposite end of the strip from the channel-like extension receiving the same. 

1. In a garment including a glove Having a smoothly rounded, tapered gauntlet and a garment sleeve provided at its lower end with an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet of said glove and means stiffening said gauntlet against circumferential collapse including a hollow, open ended stiff insert whereby said sleeve may be tensioned about said gauntlet in a continuous faceto-face telescoping relation so as to make a detachable hermetically sealed joint with said gauntlet, the improvement comprising a weakened portion in said insert so that said stiffening means can be selectively collapsed at said weakened portion whereby when said stiffening means is not collapsed, a hermetic seal results between the sleeve to the glove and whereby when said stiffening means is collapsed, the glove may be easily removed from the sleeve.
 2. In a garment including a glove having a smoothly rounded, tapered gauntlet and a garment sleeve provided at its lower end with an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet of said glove and means stiffening said gauntlet against circumferential collapse whereby said sleeve may be tensioned abut said gauntlet in a continuous face-to-face telescoping relation so as to make a detachable hermetically sealed joint with said gauntlet, the improvement wherein said stiffening means is selectively collapsible whereby when said stiffening means is not collapsed, a hermetic seal results between the sleeve to the glove and whereby when said stiffening means is collapsed, the glove may be easily removed from the sleeve, said stiffening means comprising a hollow, frusto-conical insert provided with a cut extending from one base to the other and means for selectively holding opposite sides of said cut in substantial abutment with each other.
 3. For use in a garment including an extremity covering member having a tapered gauntlet for receipt in a garment sleeve having an opening of smaller diameter than the gauntlet, a stiffening means for the gauntlet for establishing a hermetically sealed joint between said gauntlet and said sleeve, said insert comprising: a frusto-conical member formed of a generally stiff material and having a cut extending from one end to the other, and means for normally holding the sides of said cut in a fixed relation with respect to each other whereby said insert cannot be collapsed and operable to release the sides of said cut from said fixed relation so that said insert may be collapsed to permit easy removal of a glove from a sleeve with which said insert may be used.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said holding means comprise a pair of elements on opposite ends of said cut for detachably receiving one side of said cut, each said element being secured to the insert at the side of the cut opposite said one side.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein each of said elements comprises a channel-shaped member.
 6. A stiffening insert for use in establishing a seal between a garment sleeve and a glove, said insert comprising: a strip of relatively stiff, but resilient material forming a frusto-concial shape with opposite ends of said strip being in substantial abutment, at least one end of said strip including a channel-like extension adapted to receive the opposite end of the strip to normally prevent collapse of the strip, said strip being collapsible by displacing the opposite end of the strip from the channel-like extension receiving the same. 